


The Ways

by joannemay19



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, after the war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-15
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2018-05-06 23:43:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5435240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joannemay19/pseuds/joannemay19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You can always turn away from the way you walk. You can always change your way.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Ways

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go... This is my third fic and again, I have to say, I'm not good at English (and at writing tbh), I only write for learning it. Please be kind and tell my mistakes after reading, thank you so much! <3  
> Effie and Haymich again-they’re just friends in this, but who knows what will happen later? ;)

Effie Trinket was a Capitol lady in her whole life. Even in the days when she was a little girl, she knew her behaviours. She knew how she should act, talk and dress. She has grown as a wonderful citizen and nothing could change it.

Until the Hunger Games.

At first, everything was fun. Escorting, all the arrangements, meeting new people, even arguing with her arrogant team partner Haymitch. Escorting job was everything Effie’s dreamed. All the lights and laughs and fancy moments...

But then, the kids started to die. And it wasn’t like she watched on TV. It wasn’t that easy. When you know two young kids, when you love them, when you teach them things and when you guide them.. And when they die, when someone kill them...

It wasn’t easy.

Effie wasn’t expecting to be affected too much when her first tributes died. It was both of them at the same moment, they were allies and when both of them asleep... Two quick stabs from District 3 girl, in the darkness, then silence and then...

Boom!

And it was over.

Effie was in silent shock on her couch. She couldn’t believe what have just happened.

“Here.”

She couldn’t even know what was the drink Haymitch was handing her. She looked into the glass for a moment, murmured almost automatically:

“I shouldn’t drink right now, I can’t make a mistake, people can-”

Haymitch muttered at her.

“Yeah, it’s a mistake, but it won’t kill you... So, do it.”

She knew it was a mistake, but Haymitch was right: It wouldn’t kill her. It wasn’t a fatal mistake. So she did it.

And she cried when everybody was gone, excluding Haymitch who is sitting there without saying anything.

*

And slowly, it became their tradition. Every year, when their tributes died, Effie sits down on the couch silently, she couldn’t even cry and Haymitch gives her a drink. They wait in silence until everyone else goes to sleep. And when Effie starts to cry, Haymitch doesn’t say anything, just puts an arm around her...

It was the same silent scene every year. But once, the year before Katniss and Peeta, Haymitch said something as she was crying:

“You know, Trinket.. What they say... You can always turn away from the way you walk. You can always change your way.”

Effie looked at him with confusion.

“What-”

But Haymitch was already gone.

*

Now, Effie understands him. After everything. The rebellion was over, she was alive, but pretty injured and when she thinks about the past... She knew what he meant that night:

She should have said “Sorry”... She should have changed her ways, she should have done something about the truths she realized. She should have changed before losing everyone...

But it wasn’t easy to change the way you walk. It wasn’t easy to change the way you look. Haymitch should have known this.

Now, when the war was over and everybody was gone, Effie needs to try... Because being in Capitol, being alone, being away from everyone she knows-no wait, everyone she loves, was a torture for her. She wasn’t strong enough to handle it. Not anymore.

Because of this, one morning she packed a few things she has and bought a train ticket.

To District Twelve.

*

When Haymicth opened his door and froze for a moment, she giggled at him and then went in without his permission. She didn’t have words to tell how much she missed him, even his grumpiness, even this alcohol smell... Well, maybe not the last one.

“What are you doing here?” A very surprised Haymitch finally found his voice and asked, while she was looking into his living room.

Effie turned to look at him and smiled, before she took her orange coat off.

“A mistake,” She answered. “But it won’t kill me, right?”

He would probably deny it later, but she was pretty sure that she saw a little smile on his face in that moment.

Maybe she wasn’t too late for changing her ways.

**Author's Note:**

> What're you saying? :D


End file.
